ic Century for a Dame [Open]

[Dr Archeville]

Horrorshow

 

Success!

 

Stefan nodded, "I've known more than a few console cowboys who've had to get PT for carpal tunnel, so I know a little bit about that world, too.  And, yeah," he grinned and chuckled softly, "we've got our share of stresses, too.  And not just on the technical end."  He held up his left hand, palm up, "if things aren't working as they should, the office folks wonder why we aren't doing our jobs.  If things are working as they should," he held up his right, palm up, "they wonder why they keep us around on the payroll."

 

Ooh, I just thought of the perfect line to get her number.  But now's too soon, yeah?  Yeah, gotta be.  Can't come on too strong, gotta ease into it.

 

"Starting your own business though..." he exhaled slowly, "that takes guts, and courage.  I'd toast to your good luck, but," he looked around, "our waitress does not seem to... have... re..."

 

And then he saw her.  The disguise was good, and he certainly hadn't expected to see any of his classmates there that night.  But the way she moved, it was unmistakable.  Ashley "Watchdog" Smith, out on the dance floor... with another woman!  A platinum blonde in a Little Black Dress.  And - wait - did the Mystery Woman say Ashley was in law enforcement?!  What?!

 

Oh, this night just got a lot more interesting...

[Tiffany Korta]

Lucy Harker

Lucy had been around enough detective and PI’s in her time that his read wasn’t that impressive, though she had to admit that he was good. And she was interested in finding out more about him, she sure if it was intuition or something else but there was a sadness about him. And she could appreciate that right now. She gently placed his drink in front of him and sat down opposite.
 

“Let’s do this properly they. Hello there, I’m Lucy Harker, some call me Revenant, the West End has been my home for a very long time and I’m very protective of it and its people. I’m not sure what kind of un-dead you are but as long as everything you do is consensual and, on the level,, we’ll get along just fine. If you need to feed, I know a little place call Calavera Cantina all the food and/or drink an un-dead could need and all human friendly. I often meet a vampire friend of mine who moved out west a year of two ago.”

 

She sipped her drink as she allowed all that to sink in before adding.

 

“And yes this place means a lot to me, I was coming here when it was an unnamed speak-easy. I knew Jada’s Great-great-grandfather when he ran the place, guess I’m just sentimental in my old age.”

[Avenger Assembled]

"Maybe I've just been waiting for the right partner," Ashley said with a smile, feeling on top of the world. It got a little too loud to talk on the dance floor for a while after that but that was okay by her; sometimes it was better to enjoy the moment, the togetherness, the nearness even from far away, and not think about the past or the future. There were advantages to living in the present. They were as close as they could be, moving fast together and enjoying the rhythm, and if the hands on her weren't real hands well they were close enough for her purposes. 

 

When the song was done, she sought out the muscular Asian woman at the table with the young, casual-looking guy. "Excuse me," she said, a little breathless, "would you mind taking our picture?" She winked at Fa'Rua. "Don't worry, nobody else is gonna see it..." 

[Thunder King]

"No problem!" Mali said with a broad smile. "Glad someone is having fun tonight." She took the phone from Ashley's hands. She was familiar enough with the model to figure out what to do, and took a couple of steps back. She could tell that the two of them were really enjoying themselves, and focused more on their happiness and less on her orneriness. 

 

"Smile!" She said, taking the picture before handing the phone back. "Looks like you two are having a great time." 

[Dr Archeville]

Horrorshow

 

Okay, okay, keep cool. I wasn't expecting to get to the 'try to fool my classmates' part of my training any time soon -- especially not tonight! -- but heroes have to be adaptable.  And Grue are adaptable.  So this shouldn't be too hard for me... right?

 

"Yes, you two look really nice together," the casual-looking man chimed in, with a vaguely Russian accent.  He'd remained in his seat at the picture was taken, but leaned to the side just enough to make sure he wasn't in it.  "Have you two been together long?  Oh, I bet you have: you seem so... so cozy with one another!"  He smiled at them, and this was genuine, as he was truly happy to see Ashley unwind and be something other than Sirius McGruff.

[Amelia]

Mister Strix

 

She's older than me. Much older. I guess most of them are. Not that it's saved them...

 

The pale man was animated enough when he spoke, but otherwise, for as much as his face moved, it may as well have been carved out of marble. But Lucy saw that unflappability crack when he sniffed and sipped the wine. She spotted how he didn't actually swallow any of it, and she caught the brief expression of anguish cross his face. It wasn't just a bad taste in his mouth. It was a memory.

 

"I'm...just some Guy."

 

Never gets old.

 

"I know our kind can be...territorial. Rest assured, I'm as eager to get home as you are to see me on my way. I've already been away longer than I'd prefer. I'm just passing through. I was here on business, and that business is concluded...for now. I've followed trails of breadcrumbs here before, and I'm sure I'll be dragged back here again, but not for a while."

 

He let out a half-chuckle and a wry grin. "I didn't know if there were any of us active here, but if there were, I expected a less cordial reception. And greater discretion. I should have known. After all, it's Freedom City. So of course even the monsters here are kinder and gentler, and living out loud and proud. My...associate back home, Burt, he suffers from a similar case of terminal respiratory failure, but without the crippling addiction. He's from here. The shiny idealism still hasn't quite rubbed off of him yet. You can thank him for the fact that we're talking right now instead of fighting. Before he came along, it never would have occurred to me to let a thing like us keep walking around for one second longer than it took to see it for what it was."

 

He stared down into his wine glass for a few moments, before sliding it away. "I don't drink wine. Just a bit of silly self-indulgent sentimentality. And no, it's never been 'consensual', or 'on the level'. I don't kill..."

 

EXCEPT FOR THAT ONE TIME. AND THOSE NEAR MISSES.

 

"...and I'm not contagious. But 'consent' is something for...companions. So far, all I've had is...prey...and they've all been...guilty. The act is...inescapably...pleasant...for both parties. But I've tried to inflict enough terror and pain, before and after, that no one involved forgets what it's really about. The one who made me, he wants it to be...fun for me. He wants me to become like him. I'd rather feel the kiss of the Sun again. And 'companionship'...is something that hasn't occurred to me in a while."

 

Lucy caught the man casting an involuntary glance toward his own left hand. Toward the third finger from the right. The tan line was gone, along with every other scar and imperfection upon his skin. The change had affected him in that manner the same as her. It was obvious once you knew to look for it. But there was little doubt that a wedding band once decorated it.

 

"But I would like to hear about this 'Cantina'. If it's 'human-friendly', then there's no way they let him in there, him or the screwed-up 'family' he wants me to join. Any place that can keep them out is useful. And I can make a fair trade. If you ever have the misfortune to find yourself in Bedlam City, and you need a place to stay, or other...'resources'...pick up a phone. Any phone. Doesn't have to work, doesn't have to be connected to anything. Just ask for the Twilight Lodge. The Operator will connect you."

 

[angrydurf]

Following Ashley off the dance floor as the song came to an end.   One arm draped somewhat possessively on the terrans hip as they approached the table a fond smile on her lips.  "I'm here on official business, liaising and what not."  she pointed out with a laugh as she pulled the shorter woman in close for the picture and a quick kiss and whispered warning, "Not sure if this rig is going on the fritz but that lady back there looks like she's talking to thin air."  Of course it was freedom so even in a nice bar, a patron talking to themselves wasn't impossible.  She gave Ashleys hand a quick squeeze letting her go to retrieve her phone.  Meanwhile Fa'Rua pulled out here own 'Phone' to run a diagnostic on her holo-presence system as discreetly as she could manage.

[Avenger Assembled]

Goddamit 

 

Ashley wanted nothing more than to tune it all out and enjoy her day off. But she had things to do...she took her camera back from Mali, smiling, and thanked her. "Nice." She gave her date a look so sharp Davyd thought for a moment she'd made him, then she looked in the direction Fa'Rua was looking and muttered another curse. "I see him," she muttered softly, thinking ahead of time. 

 

"Thanks," she said to Mali, "I'm Ash, this is my date Farua." It was a perfectly sound East Indian name if you slurred it a bit, even if it wasn't exactly what the Lor looked like. "you want to visit the lady's room?" she suggested, nodding her head that way. 

 

"See if you can get her to follow me," she said to Fa'Rua, nodding in the direction of the guy who didn't have a reflection and his date. 

[Tiffany Korta]

Lucy Harker

Lucy took out a business card and a pen and began to write on the back, before passing it to Strix.

 

“Thank you for the invitation, here’s my card if you’re in Freedom City again, I’m also a lawyer but don’t that against me! You can’t get into the Cantina unless you know the spot to enter, I’ve written the directions for Bedlam on the back. I’ve also put the cell down for Nicole she’s my friend that moved to Bedlam, and one of the good vampires as well. And next time you see Deadhead say hello from me if you would, normally I’d also give him a peck on the cheek, but you can skip that bit.”

 

Her cheery smile dimmed a little as she went on to slightly more serious business.

 

“What I am is a little complicated, but my father-in-darkness if you will was a vampire with delusions of grandeur. Decided to try and create the perfect un-dead creature by feeding my mother his blood to make me un-dead without the whole turning business. Didn’t work until I took a bullet and was buried for a while, took a while to make sure he wouldn’t do it to anyone else. Long enough that I have a few sisters-in-darkness.”

 

Sensing movement from behind Lucy looked around to spy someone coming their way.

 

“Excuse me a minute…” she offered as an apology as she stood “Hello there, how can we help you?”

[Thunder King]

Mali saw what they saw, and was more than a little suspicious. However, she'd ran into her own share of weirdos and oddballs in her time as a hero, and many of them were perfectly fine people. Still, she wanted to make sure things were on the up and up and looked subtly at Ashley and Farua.

 

She signaled as if she said 'do you see that?'

[Dr Archeville]

Horrorshow

 

'Official business'?  'Liaising'?  Is she in law enforcement, too?  Is that how they met?

 

Before he could say anything more, Ash and Farua were trying to lead Mali away.  "Don't be gone too long, ladies," he said, then looked over to the bar, likely trying to see where his drink was.

 

Okay, okay, stay calm.  Ashley's spooked about something, but I don't think it's me.  Her date's looking over at the bar... at that guy?  Weird, kinda hard to focus on... does she recognize him?  If Farua's in law enforcement, like Ashley, then maybe that guy's a crook!  An international crook!  Should I offer to help?  Or help in a... covert manner?  Ooh, yeah, that would be a better test of my abilities, helping my classmates without them realizing!  But how?  Oh... ohhhh

 

"I think," he said as he got up, "that I will take advantage of this break and see where our drinks are."  And so he headed towards the bar, and more specifically towards the very pale man and woman who had been chatting quietly with each other.

[angrydurf]

"I'm sure it's ..."  Fa'Rua trailed off as Ashley made her request and the disguised Davyd took his leave.  "Ok I know I'm not from around here but no one not a creep says ladies right?"  she sighed and turned fixing a calm smile to her features as she approached Lucy

 

"Oh you work here yes?"  she guessed from the woman's reaction as she tried to come up with a reasonable reason to pull her off after Ashley.  After what she hoped wasn't too suspicious a pause she glanced towards the door Ashley and Mali were heading towards, "I was just going to ask where the ladies was but it looks like we found it."  The Lor flashed a smile to Lucy and shrugged, "Right over there right?"  she swayed slightly on her feet playing off being far drunker than she was to offer some reason to be escorted in that direction.

[Amelia]

Mister Strix

 

 

Quote

"I’m also a lawyer but don’t that against me!"

 

The pale man flashed Lucy a wry grin. "There are worse things hiding in the shadows of the night than lawyers."

 

Quote

"You can’t get into the Cantina unless you know the spot to enter, I’ve written the directions for Bedlam on the back."

 

He slid the business card up off the table, glanced at both sides, then tucked it into the inner breast pocket of his suit jacket. "It exists in multiple places at once? Interesting. If I could enter it here and exit it back in Bedlam, that would make the journey back home considerably easier. Even if I liked traveling, I have certain needs that make it difficult." His thoughts drifted momentarily to the big bag of dirt he'd hauled with him from Bedlam, dirt that now sat in his bed at the hotel, and how much he was going to have to tip the housekeeper to ease his conscience.

 

Quote

"I’ve also put the cell down for Nicole she’s my friend that moved to Bedlam, and one of the good vampires as well."

 

He raised an eyebrow. "'Good vampires?' There are no 'good vampires'. At best, some of them are just lower than others on the kill list. But thanks. At least now, if I cross paths with this one, I'll know better than to make her a priority."

 

Quote

"And next time you see Deadhead say hello from me if you would, normally I’d also give him a peck on the cheek, but you can skip that bit.”

 

The pale man chuckled. "You know Burt? Of course you do. Freedom City, right? One big happy family. And Burt does get around. He's...he's a good friend. Helped me during some low points. Kept me from being a worse person than I needed to be. I'll give him your regards."

 

Quote

“What I am is a little complicated..."

 

"I didn't know that something like me could create something like Burt. So you're dead, but you don't have...the thirst? What's it like to be able to have a conversation with someone without being intensely curious what the inside of their throat tastes like? I've honestly forgotten. I bet it's nice, though."

 

[Avenger Assembled]

"Are you all right?" asked Ashley once they were in there, looking the other woman over. Mali certainly _looked_ like she could take care of herself, but she'd seen enough in Freedom City to know that being strong and ready only got you so far around superpowers. "Did he do something to you?" Her gaze was professional as she studied the martial artist. 

[Thunder King]

"Nah." Mali said with a shrug. "Nobody's messed with me. The guy at my table seems a little off, but the guy who wasn't in the picture hasn't even approached me. Sure, he's weird, but this is Freedom City. Weird is kind of what we do. I really appreciate your concern, though, honestly. It warms my heart to see people do the right thing."

 

She glanced towards the door and chuckled. "Honestly, though? I have no idea what's up with him and I've been keeping an eye on him, anyway."

[Dr Archeville]

Horrorshow

 

Stefan slowed a bit as he got closer to the pale man.  Okay, think this through.  He might be an international criminal.  He's not doing anything now, but he might be up to something later.  But what?  He looked the pale man over, nice suit, very put-together look... oh!

 

He quickly turned to the bar itself, looking for the necessary prop.  He soon found what he needed: an emptied glass, drained by a now-absent patron, not yet picked up by the bartender.  He quickly moved to it, grabbed it with one hand, and hooked his thumb into the mouth of it.  A moment later, after rearranging some of his internal organs and creating some new ducts, a greenish-brown fluid began to dribble out of a newly opened hole in his thumb, slowly filling the glass.  This bile bomb should drive him away, then I can track him by scent to wherever he goes.  Maybe I can find some evidence of what he's up to!  Heck, he might even slug me here and now -- which probably won't actually hurt -- they could get him for assault!  That could get him detained, maybe give Farua and Ashley time to pin him down for good!  By now the glass was half-full, hunh, might need to do something about the color, doesn't look like any drink I've seen here.  Ah, I know.  Some more internal shifts, and now blood was oozing from his thumbnail into the glass.  He swirled it around, gave it a look, eh, might pass for a flat Cuba Libre.  Now for the tricky part.

 

Davyd relaxed a bit, trying to adopt the limber gait of a drunk person.  He stumbled towards the pale man, and 'tripped' at just the right time to send his 'drink' flying out of his glass and towards his target.  "Oopsh!"

[Avenger Assembled]

Ashley looked the other woman up and down, considering her bearing and how many superheroines called Freedom City home. I should tell her my name, so she can look up who Ashley Tran is, and then maybe I should punch myself in the face. "I know a few things about Freedom City too," she settled for saying. She considered her gear - what little there was of it in her purse. I could flood the place with cops; and ruin my goddamn date. F-ck! Maybe that was what she should do, what all professional responsibility said, but Fa'Rua had opened up a doorway from the depths of goddamned space to spend time with her that wasn't spent pretending to be galpals from the depths of space. 

 

"There are a lot of things that don't show up in mirrors. Illusions. Monsters. My...my date is bringing in the owner, we'll talk when she's here." 

[Tiffany Korta]

Lucy Harker

“I’ve hunger just in a different way, and those can be just a draining. And general eunni what seems to befall immortals after a while.”

 

Something seemed to be going on and Lucy couldn’t help but pick up that it was something that she might want to look into before trouble started.

 

“I’ll be right back I promise, I’m really enjoying out conversations.”

 

She them followed the various girls towards the Ladies, looking fairly casual but on the lookout if any trouble was about to start.

[angrydurf]

Fa'Rua faux stumbled into the ladies room and straightened to her full height arms crossed over her chest as she smiled down at Ashley, "I mean it might just be the gear going on the fritz."  she pointed out again but knew better than to argue when Ashley was in threat assessment mode, besides overprotective Ashley was pretty hot.  "Anyway that lady's on her way but no promises she doesn't think I was propositioning her to be our third."  The Lor glanced to Mali with a small shrug, "She gets like this sometimes, spend enough time in Freedom and all that right?"  Fa'Rua apologized,  "We'll get you back to your date in no time."

[Tiffany Korta]

Lucy Harker

Watching this woman Lucy couldn’t help but feel that something was… off. She couldn’t place why but her senses we’re picking up that something was odd, she wasn’t undead but something else. Still she wasn’t worried as she could generally look after herself even in a city like Freedom. And even in her day women would gather in the ladies, though it wasn’t as fancy back then, to share gossip or even warning about there partner of choice.

 

As nonchalantly as she could she looked into the rooms mirror to quickly check her hair, her black eyes reflecting back her image into infinity.

 

“So are you girls having a good night?”

[Avenger Assembled]

Ashley blushed - but in that way Fa'Rua knew meant she liked what she was hearing. "Well that's one way to get her moving." She was just adjusting her blonde wig behind her ears when the owner came in. "Hey, we need to talk to you about-" She looked at Lucy, staring at her black eyes, and cursed.

"Is this a vampire club?" she asked, sounding more scandalized than afraid. Normally this sort of discovery would have been met with fire and bullets but it had already been a long day for the Secret Service agent. "Vampires are creatures who look like humans but drink our blood," she added for Fa'Rua's benefit, not sure how much Earth culture she actually knew. 

 

(The movies they watched together by remote tended to be more of the action than horror variety.) 

 

"Because between that weird guy hitting on her, and that guy who didn't reflect talking to you, I am starting to wonder what kind of establishment you're running here." She kept herself between her date and the black-eyed host, intimately aware that this was objectively stupid but what the hell, a reflex was a reflex. She was pretty sure Muscles there could punch off somebody's head if it came down to it. 

[Thunder King]

Mali raised her hands in a slightly defensive pose. "I've met all sorts of people in my time. Let's just say I'm out of uniform right now?" She said, hinting at her heroic activities.

 

"Just because someone is a member of a group that's potentially bad doesn't necessarily mean they themselves are bad. I've fought alongside ninjas, ghosts, thieves, other kinds of criminals, grue, all sorts of people. I'm not saying we shouldn't be suspicious, we totally should, but let's try to be fair, here." 

 

"Oh, and that guy isn't my date. God, I haven't had a date since high school...anyway, I met him here and I have no idea what his deal is." 

[Amelia]

Mister Strix

 

Quote

"I’m really enjoying out conversations."

 

The pale man raised an eyebrow. "I...don't get that a lot. Not that I have many conversations these days."

 

The instant that Davyd's blood started leaving his body, the pale man sniffed and his head jerked up. He could already smell the blood pumping through the veins of every mortal in the club, but blood that was exposed to open air may as well have been right under his nose. The black discs at the center of his eye started to expand. He closed his eyes tightly and inclined his head. His unnaturally long fingers gripped the table in front of him, hard enough to make a slight *CRACK* sound, barely audible as his hands left tiny craters in the underside. Silly monster...you're never not thirsty. Not really.

 

Quote

Davyd stumbled towards the pale man, and 'tripped' at just the right time to send his 'drink' flying out of his glass and towards his target. "Oopsh!"

 

The cold didn't normally bother Davyd. He didn't usually even notice it. But when he approached the pale man's table, he started to feel as if he'd walked into a freezer. The glass he was holding fogged up, and the outer edges of the liquid inside started to freeze into slush.

 

The pale man rose to his feet so quickly he was a blur, sending his chair tumbling to the floor. About half of Davyd's "drink" landed on the front of his suit. If he hadn't been distracted, he might have dodged the whole splash. He sighed and looked down at himself. "It's fi-RRRRRRR..." The smell of blood on his own shirt slammed into the pale man's nostrils like a runaway train and his words dissolved into an deep, gutteral, bestial growl. He kept his lips tightly shut, but behind them his fangs had already descended. His tongue had already elongated and was eagerly probing. His fists clenched. As he stood staring at Davyd, the black discs at the center of his eyes slowly started expanding again.

 

Not here not now not him not here not now not him not here not

 

[angrydurf]

"Hey good music, strong drinks, and good company what's not to like?"  Fa'Rua replied and stared at Ashley blinking for a moment at the outburst.  "Uhm is that like a thing? Not just movies?"  she asked and looked questioning to Mali who was dropping the hints of a double life as well.  "Frak you really can't throw a rock in this city without hitting some kind of dire plot or heroic type can you."  she cursed lightly and slid in close to Ashly with a winning smile, "Babe you know I like this whole protective momma bear thing an all that but my rides in the shop remember?"  she hinted strongly as holo-cast she was about half as useful as sturdy table in a fight.  "So I need you to give me a ride home and all that right?"  she smiled to the other women the gesture strained.  

[Dr Archeville]

Horrroshow

 

Oh crap!  Those eyes... that growl... is this guy on something?  If it's one of those super-drugs, this could get bad, and fast!  Well, bad for others, not me.  Well, probably not me.  Regardless, I should get him away from the crowd!

 

'Stefan' stumbled back a step, "aw, no, yer nice suit!"  He kept up the 'drunken stranger' act, stooping slightly on unsteady feet and now eye-level with the stains on Strix's shirt.  "I am sho, sho shorry.  C'mon," he straightened up and looked him in the eye, "I'll help ya get cleaned up.  It'sh the leasht I can do.  A lil' water, some club shoda, that'll get it right out, you'll shee!"  He reached out to grab hold of the pale man's arm, intending to guide (or "guide") him to the men's room.

 

Were Strix thinking clearly, he might have noted that the man's movements were strangely fluid for a human, much less a drunken human.